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Monday, December 24, 2012

I wish each of you a very Happy New Year in 2013. We are shifting into
the Age of Aquarius and each one of us can choose to become more conscious and create
a connection with one another, our world and the cosmos. Put old habits
and fears to rest and acquire a conviction that is made of truth, love, tolerance
and harmony. Develop patience and compassion for those you love. Choose
health-giving foods to nourish your body with. Be respectful and tender to the
environment and the creatures that share our ecosphere. Make conscientious choices
for your mind and spirit. Seek out light but do not be scared of the darkness.
Every single one of us holds a power and consciousness that can change
ourselves and our world.Go out and live
and be happy and healthy in 2013!!

Thursday, December 13, 2012

Ormenis multicaulis or Wild Chamomile is one of my favorite essential oils. It is not a true chamomile but it does share similar soothing qualities and it smells amazing....I mean really, really amazing!! It is fresh and herbaceous and puts me in a wonderful mood.

I wanted this body cream to be made with oils that soothe dry skin and would be moisturizing enough to tackle the cold weather of Winter. I decided to use a combination of sweet almond oil, jojoba oil and liquid coconut oil. All of these oils are known to be very emollient and to help soften, soothe and re-condition dry skin.

I also wanted to infuse the oils with some flowers and herbs. I chose chamomile flower, calendula flower, lavender flower, marshmallow root, Elder flower, cinnamon bark, cardamom seed and vanilla pod. This process took two days to complete, but I think it was well worth it. **All these herbs were purchased from Mountain Rose Herbs.

These are the herbs I used to infuse my carrier oils. Feel free to use as many or as few as you like.

You can go about infusing oils two different ways. The fast way like I did is done by placing your oils and herbs in a bowl placed over a pan of simmering water. I did two days of 5 hours per day for a total of 10 hours. Make sure the oil temperature does not go much above 120 degrees F. You can also do the slow method of placing the oils and herbs in a canning jar and wait 6 weeks for the infusion magic to happen.

Place the oil and the herbs into a glass bowl that is placed over a simmering pot of water. Gently heat the oil for a total of 10 hours, stirring every hour. Keep the temperature around 120 degrees F. Strain the oil from the herb.

I chose vegetable glycerine, Aloe Vera and rose water for my liquid ingredients. Once you have your infused oil, you are ready to create the lotion.

The only company I have found that carries Wild Chamomile essential oil is Aura Cacia.

In a small glass measuring cup, add in the rosewater, Aloe Vera gel and glycerine. In a double boiler, melt the beeswax and lecithin together. Add in the infused oil and continue to heat until the mixture is fully melted. Remove the melted wax and oil and set aside. Gently heat the rosewater, Aloe Vera gel and glycerine to 100 degrees F. Once both the water and the oil/wax phases are both around 100 degrees F, it is time to start mixing them together.

I like to use a single beater on a hand mixer set to low speed. I drizzle in the water phase a little bit at a time while the beater is mixing the oil and wax. You will need to continue beating for about 5 minutes and will notice the mixture will turn a creamy consistency. At this point, you can add in the vitamin E and the essential oil. Blend for another 5 minutes or until firm and creamy.

I know when my lotion is ready because it is the consistency of a thick pudding. At this point, transfer the product to a sterile container, place in the refrigerator for several hours to finish setting up. I like to keep it in the fridge and fill a small 1/2 ounce container with the lotoin. I normally use up the 1/2 ounce jar of cream within two or three days and will then clean the jar, mist it with rubbing alcohol and allow it to air dry and then fill it up again with the Wild Chamomile Body Cream.

I sincerely hope you enjoy making this recipe as much as I did. Green Blessings!!!

Shannon

This information is for educational
purposes only, it is not intended to treat, cure, prevent
or, diagnose any disease or condition. Nor is it intended
to prescribe in any way. This information is for
educational purposes only and may not be complete, nor may
its data be accurate. As with all herbs, Do not take
internally unless working with a qualified and expert
practitioner. Keep away from children. I am an affiliate with
Mountain Rose Herbs,please review my disclosure page for
details.. Avoid use unless discussed with your physician. This
information is for educational purposes only. This information has
not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This
information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any
condition or disease. Green Blessings!!! I received a free kit from mountain rose herbs my opinions are my own.

Wednesday, December 12, 2012

I adore and collect vintage perfumes and cosmetics. I wanted to show you a few of my favorite items from my collection. I have researched these items as much as I can, but have not learned very much about them. If anyone reading this post knows more information about one of the items, please email me the info at freshpickedbeauty@ymail.com so I can share it here.

Ho-Ro-Co MFG. CO. Perfumers, St. Louis MO. Helitrope Powdered Perfume:
As best as I can find, this was a popular brand of toiletries from the early 1920's. My bottle still has about 1/3 of the powder left and it smells rather lovely. Here is a picture of the front side......

The front side of the Ho-Ro-Co Heliotrope Perfume (circa 1920's)

I found an interesting ad from the August 4, 1926 newspaper called The Reading Eagle......

from The Reading Eagle Newspaper dated Wednesday, August 4, 1926

Even in today's standards, making up to $100 per week hocking toilet goods is pretty good. I know several Avon Ladies who make much less than that!!!

I don't know much about this vintage souvenir perfume bottle, except that it has an Art Nouveau & Deco designed label, is from the early or mid 1920's and manufactured by the Vail Brothers in Philadelphia.

Vintage pot of rouge from Black and White® (circa 1920's)

The Black and White® company created a line of medicines and toilet preparations in the 1920's and was owned by Beauty Creations, Inc., Plough Chemical Company. This little pot of "light" rough was sold for 25 cents back in the 1920's. Women used to apply white face powder to make themselves look pale and would then apply red circles of rough to their cheeks. Here is another article I found about the Black and White® rouge.

Looks like Miss Vera Vance from Brooklyn, New York was just as crazy as all the other girls for the wonderful Black and White Beauty Creations back in March of 1923 when this ad was published.

The back side of the Black and White pot of rough. It is hard to see but the sticker at the top states of price is only 25 cents.

When I feel tuckered-out in the middle of the day I make a cup of honey infused Matcha tea and roll on my Rosemary-Mint Pure Perfume blend to wake me up. The restorative and stimulating properties of rosemary essential oil blend beautifully with the warm and spicy-herbaceous minty aroma of spearmint essential oil. I round out the blend with a bit happiness from sweet marjoram essential oil and some lovely green softness from bergamot mint essential oil which traditionally is believed to be emotionally uplifting. I also include the floral notes of lavender essential oil and the fresh minty notes of peppermint essential oil.

I use 190 proof vodka in my recipe. I know this can be hard to come by or you may not want to use alcohol in your blend. You can substitute Jojoba oil if you like. There is also Perfumer's Alcohol on the market which is basically a high-proof alcohol that has been denatured.

Add 8 ml of alcohol to a small roller-ball perfume bottle. Add in the following essential oils:

Place the roller ball and the cap on and shake well. Allow the perfume to sit for several days (shaking daily) to harmonize.

I use a lot of really great essential oils. One place I like to shop is at Mountain Rose Herbs!!

This information is for educational
purposes only, it is not intended to treat, cure, prevent
or, diagnose any disease or condition. Nor is it intended
to prescribe in any way. This information is for
educational purposes only and may not be complete, nor may
its data be accurate. As with all herbs, Do not take
internally unless working with a qualified and expert
practitioner. Keep away from children. I am an affiliate with
Mountain Rose Herbs,please review my disclosure page for
details.. Avoid use unless discussed with your physician. This
information is for educational purposes only. As with all essential oils, review the complete safety profile of each essential oil before you use. This information has
not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This
information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any
condition or disease. Green Blessings!!!